Alright, so, let’s dive into this wild ride of an article about Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen getting arrested in Washington, D.C. So, get this, Ben was causing a ruckus at a Senate committee hearing, protesting against Congress’ funding for Israel’s military during the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Can you believe it? The man is 74 years old and still out there fighting the good fight.
So, Ben and a group of other protesters decided to crash the Senate health committee hearing where Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was talking about Trump’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. They started shouting and holding up signs, causing a whole commotion. The Capitol Police had to step in and escort them out, but not before Ben got himself detained. Yup, you heard that right. The co-founder of an ice cream brand getting hauled off by the cops.
In a video he posted on social media, you can see Ben with his hands behind his back, getting taken away by the police. He was basically telling Congress that they’re funding the bombing of kids in Gaza while cutting Medicaid for poor kids in the U.S. Talk about a bold move, am I right? The man has guts. And he wasn’t done there. Ben also called on lawmakers to do more to send food to starving kids in Gaza because, let’s face it, a famine is looming and something needs to be done.
And get this, Ben wasn’t the only one who got arrested. Six other people also got taken in, with charges ranging from assaulting a police officer to resisting arrest. The Capitol Police said that Ben was charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding, which could land him in prison for up to 90 days and a $500 fine if he’s convicted. But hey, at least he’s out now.
But wait, it doesn’t stop there. Ben and his buddy Jerry Greenfield have been known to speak out about political issues, especially when it comes to criticizing Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Back in 2021, Ben & Jerry’s even decided to stop selling their ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank because it didn’t align with their values. And let me tell you, that decision caused quite a stir in Israel and even hurt sales for Unilever, the company that owns Ben & Jerry’s.
Fast forward to 2024, Unilever decided to spin off its ice cream unit, which included Ben & Jerry’s, to cut costs. But that didn’t stop Ben & Jerry’s from suing Unilever over claims that they fired the ice cream brand’s CEO because of their social activism and censored their support for Palestinian refugees. It’s like a soap opera, I tell you. Unilever, of course, denied all the allegations and wanted the lawsuit thrown out.
So, there you have it. Ben Cohen, the ice cream crusader, making waves in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Who knew a scoop of Chunky Monkey could cause so much drama? But hey, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, right?
